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Attorney Arnedo S. Valera, our guest speaker for the night,
Relatives of Dr. Rizal on several tables here tonight, Distinguished Guests,
Calambeños and Calambeñas, Ladies and Gentlemen:
- ANG GAGANDA NINYO NGAYONG GABI, BAYAN!
CALAMBEÑO KA BA?
Like most people, marahil tulad din po sa inyo, I do not feel right whenever I am
asked that question. Putting it in another way, "FILIPINO KA BA?", gives the
question a better perspective.
Imagine yourself being asked by one of the locals here in New Jersey, "I know you are
a citizen, but are you an American?" WHAT WOULD YOUR REPLY BE? ANO PO KAYA ANG
SAGOT NATIN?
What is really in question here? Your citizenship? Your residency?, Your
loyalty, race, creed, national origin? Or is it your ethnicity?
What does it mean to be an American?….a Filipino?…..a Calambeño?
I have lived in Passaic Park New Jersey for over two years now and eligible to vote in our
local and national elections. Does that make me….a TRUE Passaiqueño?
I know of a guy, and some of you probably do too, know someone who had lived most of his
life in New York, and yet professes "hatred" for New York? Does this
person qualify to be called a "New Yorker"?
The separatist or "PAROCHIAL" mentality, inspired by the then Spanish
colonial government, was to dissuade us from following those groups people who were always
near or at the forefront of Philippine Revolution. And this practice sadly seems to be
still prevalent in our society. Dr. Rizal abhors this form of BIGOTRY as he eloquently and
clearly illustrated in his 2 novels and even with his letters to his family from abroad.
Dr. Jose Rizal is not our town hero; he is our NATIONAL hero. A hero who died for
our whole country, not just for Calamba, for all Filipinos, not just Calambeños. And had
therefore he earned our town "National" stature, a town for the whole country.
Our Lord Jesus Christ had been known to advocate as stated in the Acts of the
Apostles, "JEWS AND GENTILES NO MORE, WOMEN AND MEN NO MORE". That
made everyone one and the same. While the Parishees then would like to separate the
Gentiles from the Jews, Jesus Christ love them all, Gentiles and Jews alike.
AMONG THE NUMEROUS REASONS FOR FILIPINO PRIDE IS OUR PURE FILIPINO VALUE of BEING:
FREE FROM PAROCHIAL MENTALITY,
FREE FROM BIGOTRY,
FREE TO LOVE AND WELCOME THEM ALL,
AND THEREFORE,
FREE - TO BE A
TRUE - CALAMBEÑO.
As our association's charter states, "anyone who loves CALAMBA and everything it
stands for, and willing to advance the goals of our association can be a
member." We could therefore surmise that a true CALAMBEÑO is someone who LOVES
and WELCOMES. What a WONDERFUL Definition!
Until you can say THAT
TRULY in your heart,
TRUE to the aspirations of our national hero, and as
OPEN as our Lord welcomed the Gentiles,
CAN one one say and answer:
"OPO, AKO AY ISANG TUNAY NA CALAMBEÑO."
As the term of office I am privileged to hold comes to a close tonight, I would like to
take this opportunity to thank you, to all of you, for giving me the trust, confidence and
support, especially to:
Mr. Lito Mendoza for being my partner and sounding board
in planning all of this.
To Mr. Tom Lazaro, for his invaluable advise that he gives us.
To Atty. Manny Carreon for his courage in assuming the association's
Chairmanship.
To Chito Manayon for pointing out the details that we might have
forgotten.
To Don Alcasid for time and time again proving to us that his hind sight
is really a lot better that our foresight. (Just kidding Don). But I would
like to say thank you for bringing all the people and for the lobsters you bring during
our meetings. I guess they didn't know that, that is how we get good attendance!
To Mrs. Cora Remigio,
whose sharp eyes ensures our newsletter goes out with only a hundred errors. Just
kidding, maybe around 10 or 20. She was my teacher in High School.
To Malou Mendoza
for taking on jobs she is not even assigned to do and handling all of our admin jobs.
To Arlene Alcasid, who
is always out in front getting everybody to dance, except her husband,
To Dr. Rudy Lim, without
whose help our goals would have not been achieved.
To Adrian Robles Angeles,
for doing the leg work for us.
And of course to All of you,
because without you, all of these would be without meaning, but most especially to my
wife who had been tolerant enough to allow me to work until wee hours in the
morning, and because she is a light sleeper, gets awakened when I come to bed.
I promise you Hon, after this party, I
will come to bed early. A lot earlier and I won't even need Viagra!
As president during the past year, I have learned that GOOD LEADERS are not BORN, but are
MADE by trust and confidence of GOOD supporters! I now know that only way to have
good leaders is to have good supporters, and I am confident that you will give the same
support to our incoming and most able and deserving president, Mr. Lito Mendoza.
LET US GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE!!!
As I close, allow me to leave these words:
"Buildings and streets do not make a town, people do."
And when people are FREE to Love Calamba and BRAVE
enough to welcome those who do, truly, our little "Hometown Northeast
USA" will be the
LAND OF THE FREE and HOME OF THE BRAVE!
Salamat po. Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon.
MALIGAYA ANG GABI, BAYAN!
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